It’s easy to get confused when you set out to buy geodes.
Afterall, there are so many different options, and unless you understand amethyst value, you could end up with a low-quality geode that doesn’t offer you the healing properties you desire.
How do you know you’re getting your money’s worth?
Which crystal companies are reputable?
What qualities should you be looking for that determine amethyst value?
We’ll answer all of these questions and more in this article. Let’s start with the main five things to look for when buying amethyst geodes:
- Darker colored amethyst
- Thin walls
- Well-formed and larger crystals
- Good symmetry (left and right side is like a mirror image if you draw a line up the center of the cathedral)
- Somewhat free of drill holes, cracks, and defects
If you knew nothing else, these five qualities would help you quickly determine the value of your amethyst geode. Now, let’s look deeper at what comprises amethyst value.
What Should You Know About Brazilian Amethyst Value?
While there is no official grading system for geodes, there are several factors used to ensure that you are getting the highest value and the best quality when you buy geodes.
In most cases, it isn’t possible to buy geodes that have all of the following qualities. Each geode will have varying ranges of each of these characteristics. When you are in the market for a geode, decide which properties are most important to you, and look for a geode that has the best quality in those areas.
Symmetry & Shape
Geodes are considered to be more valuable when the outside has good symmetry and a more elongated amethyst cathedral shape. Good symmetry is indicated by the left and right side being like a mirror image if you draw a line up the center of the cathedral. Geodes that are more bent over, round or square are considered to be less valuable.
Color
The value of amethyst geodes increases with the intensity of its purple color. This is because deeper colored amethyst has stronger healing properties and tends to be more eye-catching. The most valuable amethyst geodes contain a strong saturation of color, which is made possible by higher levels of iron in the silica (quartz).
Two other color factors include zoning and saturation within each crystal point. When the color is somewhat even across the whole surface of the geode, the geode will be more valuable than one that has zones of darker purple and zones of lighter purple. In addition, an amethyst geode will be more valuable when the color saturates the whole crystal point, instead of just the tip. This is rare, however, and it is normal for the base of the point to be colorless.
Point Size
The size of each crystal point within the geode plays a large role in amethyst value as well. Large points are considered to be more valuable because they are rarer. They took thousands of years longer to form than smaller points in conditions that had to be just right.
Weight to Dimension Proportion
Geodes that have thinner concrete walls and a smaller base are more valuable. As we explained in our article, An Astonishing Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Amethyst Cathedral, the outer walls and base of amethyst geodes are manmade and are concrete, which is very heavy. Since geodes are sold by weight, that added concrete increases the cost of the geode without providing any additional beauty or healing properties.
Repairs
Almost all geodes have had some type of repair done to them. It’s part of the nature of the mining process, which you can learn more about here. In addition, there are often natural cracks that occur as part of the formation process. Value is driven up when these cracks and repairs are minimal and well hidden.
Rare Formations & Rims
In rare cases, amethyst geodes will contain calcite, golden goethite needles, or gypsum formations, or an agate rim. These things make the geode more unique and provide a beneficial combination of additional healing properties that increase its value.
What is the Cosmic Cuts Grading System?
At Cosmic Cuts, we purchase most of our amethyst geodes from Brazil, which has the largest supply of high-quality amethyst geodes in the world. You can learn more about the Brazilian amethyst mining process here.
When you purchase crystals directly from the mines in Brazil, you have to purchase a random lot of varying quality, which can range from excellent to poor quality and many levels in between.
That’s why we buy geodes from a consolidator that regrades the geodes into twelve categories of quality. That system is labeled according to colors that match up to different levels of quality.
All of the geodes we sell have been hand-selected for quality, authenticity, and beauty. We only purchase our geodes in the top four…
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